Article ‘One day dentistry’
On 29 October 2015, the newspaper Eesti Päevaleht published in its special edition Kliinikute teejuht (‘Guide to Clinics’) an article “One day dentistry”.
Lumen Dental Clinic discusses the possibilities of digital fabrication of dental crowns and fillings in just one day.
One day dentistry
Digital fabrication of dental fillings and crowns allows teeth to be restored in just one day.
Lumen Dental Clinic uses the CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing) technology to model and manufacture dental fillings, crowns and bridges. This technology significantly speeds up the restoration of a severely damaged tooth.
Typically, the restoration of a decayed tooth is a fairly laborious and time-consuming process in which the patient has to wait several days for the final result, but with digital technology, it is possible to restore an entire tooth in just one day.
“We restore the tooth on the same day in two stages,” states Dr. Merike Immato, the manager and dentist of Lumen Dental Clinic.
In the first stage, the doctor prepares the tooth for restoration and, if necessary, builds up the core which will support the crown if there is not enough natural tooth tissue left. The doctor will then use an intraoral scanner to scan the patient’s mouth (traditionally, this is done using an impression material which is quite uncomfortable for the patient). The software will create a virtual 3D model based on the scan which will accurately reflect the actual condition of the patient’s mouth.
The software will then, based on the model, design a crown, veneer or ceramic filling for the tooth to be restored or repaired, if necessary, the result can be corrected in a three-dimensional environment.
“It will then take some time to mill the crown and add finishing touches to make sure that the crown looks natural and matches the shade of the surrounding teeth,” Dr. Immato explains. This means that the patient has to wait for a little while, but since the procedure has been explained to them previously, they know to expect that.
When the restoration is ready, it is placed in the patient’s mouth and that is it – the patient leaves the clinic on the same day with a new and healthy tooth. It is also possible to restore several teeth on the same day.
“It is a good idea to restore and aesthetically design adjacent and opposing teeth at the same time. For instance, in the case of front teeth, we have restored 6–8 crowns or veneers at the same time. That way, you get a new smile in just one day,” adds the doctor.
More advantages
According to Dr. Immato this digital solution offers even more advantages than just speed: it is possible to produce an extremely precise crown, filling or veneer, there is less need for anaesthetic injections, and there is no need for uncomfortable temporary crowns.
Since Lumen Dental Clinic uses all-ceramic fillings and crowns for tooth restorations, the result is long-lasting and looks beautiful and natural. Teeth that are restored with a ceramic material fit in perfectly with other teeth and the risk of recurrent tooth decay is minimal.
In addition to effectively restoring decayed teeth with ceramic fillings or crowns, it is possible to cover discoloured or unevenly shaped teeth with beautiful ceramic veneers to improve their appearance. Teeth that have undergone root canal treatment should always be covered with a crown as they have a weaker structure. Unsightly and incorrect fillings can also be replaced with ceramic fillings.
“Ceramic material has very similar physical properties to natural dental tissue, is durable under masticatory pressure, and very closely resembles natural teeth,” emphasises Dr. Immato. “With the use of ceramic materials and digital technology, the result is very natural.”
Eesti Päealeht: Kliinikute teejuht (‘Guide to Clinics’, October 2015)